Board & Accountability

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.
— Malcolm X

Our Current Board Members

Our current board is composed of founders, parents and members of the community who bring deep expertise and a broad set of skills from their education, non-profit management, legal, finance and business backgrounds.

Click the names below to read bios of our board members.

Gary Borden
Chair of Funds Committee, Member of the Board Development Committee

gborden@yumingschool.org

Gary Borden is a Partner with City Fund. He previously worked as Senior Vice President at the California Charter Schools Association, where he led the organization’s statewide policy and advocacy work. Prior to this, Gary worked at the Charter Schools Development Center.  Gary holds a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and a J.D. from Georgetown University.

Keta Brown

Chair of Enrollment & Diversity Committee
kbrown@yumingschool.org

Keta Brown is a Co-Founder and Special Projects Director at The Oakland REACH. She is the proud mother of four. Keta was raised in Oakland and graduated from a public high school with the same challenges with the same challenges that she saw her mother face trying to support her in school 40 years ago. These are the same issues she faces today trying to ensure that her youngest child gets to college. She joined The Oakland REACH because the system has failed so many of her family members. She is still fighting to ensure her nine-year old daughter receives the education she deserves.

Mario Choi
Board Member

mchoi@yumingschool.org

Mario Choi is the proud father of two Yu Ming students and is a parent-nominated board member. Mario is a partner at the law firm of Donahue Fitzgerald LLP, where he handles complex commercial, intellectual property, consumer protection, and other litigation matters. Mario serves, or has served on, the boards of a number of organizations, including Wah Mei School, the San Francisco Community Health Center, BALIF, and the Alameda County Bar Association. Mario is a graduate of Boston University, Columbia, and Northeastern University.

Jess Henry
Board Secretary

jhenry@yumingschool.org

Jess Henry is currently the Director of Operations at NewSchools Venture Fund where she manages business operations, IT and facilities. NewSchools works to find, fund and support teams of educators and innovators who are reimagining public education so every student finishes high school prepared and inspired to create a good life. Prior to NewSchools, Jess served as the Program Director for All Stars Helping kids. She earned a BA in Human Biology from Stanford University and competed on the Women’s Gymnastics team. Jess lives in Oakland and spends her time indoor rock climbing and building forts in the living room with her four young children.

Reggie Lee
Board Chair, Chair of the Audit Committee

rrlee@yumingschool.org 

Reggie Lee is a parent of both a 1st grade and a third grade student. He is a parent-elected board member, and part of the Equity Design Team at Yu Ming. In his professional life, Reggie is an experienced Regional Manager in the chemicals industry. He graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor’s degree in History.

Michael McDaniel, Jr.
Member of the Enrollment & Diversity Committee

mmcdaniel@yumingschool.org

Michael McDaniel, Jr. is the Lead Family Organizer/Political Director for Families In Action For Quality Education. He is also the father of four and a retired US Army veteran. As a native of Oakland, he has seen the impact that racial inequity can have on education and a person’s future. Since joining FIA in December of 2020, he has been dedicated to the fight for equity in the city of Oakland.

Alcine Mumby
Board Member

amumby@yumingschool.org

Alcine Mumby currently serves as a deeper learning coach with Envision Learning Partners. Prior to coaching, Alcine taught Humanities at one of the first small schools in the Bronx where project-based learning and portfolio defenses served as the foundation of instruction. Afterward, Alcine became a founding principal of Envision Academy in Oakland, an administrator in several small middle and high schools in Atlanta and DC, and a leadership coach in DC, Charlotte, & Philadelphia. Alcine earned her BA in English Education from NYU and a Master’s in Curriculum and Teacher Education from Stanford. When she’s not running through an airport or on an airplane, Alcine attempts to be the world’s greatest aunt to 4 adorable and active nephews and niece.

Jonathan Schorr
Vice Chair, Chair of Board Development Committee

jschorr@yumingschool.org

Jonathan Schorr is a Founding Partner at Be Clear Communications. Be Clear is helping to build a better, more progressive world by helping great people and organizations tell their stories. Jonathan is a communications and strategy consultant who has provided guidance and writing to some of the nation’s leading education leaders, nonprofits and school systems. He served in the Obama Administration as Communications Director at the U.S. Department of Education, providing guidance to the Secretary of Education, and overseeing a team of more than 100 communications professionals. Previously, Jonathan served as Partner and Chief of Staff at NewSchools Venture Fund, and as Director of New Initiatives at the KIPP network of schools. Jonathan has worked as an author, journalist and teacher. He wrote the critically acclaimed book Hard Lessons: The Promise of an Inner-City Charter School and was an education reporter for the Oakland Tribune. He lives in Oakland with his wife and two daughters.

Yiaway Yeh
Board Treasurer, Chair of Finance Committee

yyeh@yumingschool.org

Yiaway Yeh leads the global Social Impact Civics Partnerships team for Google, which supports a broad portfolio of civics and economic security products. Previously, he was a public finance banker with Morgan Stanley raising capital for nonprofit and children’s hospitals. Yiaway has a long commitment to public service. He served as Palo Alto Mayor and Councilmember, where he chaired the City Council / School Board Joint Committee and focused on empowering youth voices in municipal government. He created the Nashville Mayor’s Office of Innovation as Co-Chief Innovation Officer of Nashville and Davidson County Metro Government and partnered with the entrepreneurial community as a Board Member of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. He also led the City of Oakland’s internal performance audit team for Oakland’s elected City Auditor. Early in his career, he served as a US Peace Corps NGO Development Volunteer in the village of Djigouera in Burkina Faso. Yiaway holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and received his BA in Political Science from American University.

Seeking Candidates for Board of Directors

Overview

Public charter school in Oakland, CA seeks experienced leaders to serve on its Board of Directors.

Yu Ming Charter School provides an academically rich and challenging environment for children to become bilingual and bi-literate in Chinese and English. The school opened in Fall 2011 with Kindergarten and 1st grade, and is growing each year until 2030. The organization is both a 501c3 not-for-profit organization and a public school.

 

Board Responsibilities

The Board is responsible for establishing broad policies and overseeing high-level decisions that affect the School, including:

  • Adopting policies to ensure that the school is run effectively, legally, and ethically;
  • Hiring, overseeing, evaluating, and supporting Yu Ming’s CEO;
  • Monitoring the operational budget and finances for long-term viability;
  • Setting policies and approving documents as required by state or federal law; and
  • Seeing that adequate funds are secured for the operating and capital needs of the school.

Commitments

  • Prepare for and attend 5 regular board meetings every year (usually 4:00-6:00 pm), one full-day Board retreat, as well as committee meetings and important school events as relevant;
  • Be available by phone or email as needed; respond to calls and emails in a timely manner; and
  • Serve on at least one Board committee.

Qualifications

  • Leadership experience with a proven track record of results, ideally in an entrepreneurial environment
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability and inclination to work collaboratively with individuals from a variety of backgrounds
  • Commitment to and interest in Mandarin language education in a public school
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills

Experience preferred

We are especially seeking individuals with any of the following areas of expertise:

  • Real estate acquisition and development, including project financing
  • Philanthropy or fundraising for not-for-profit organizations
  • Community and/or political leadership
  • Accounting and finance

For more information: contact Reggie Lee, Board Chair: rrlee@yumingschool.org.

Meeting Agendas and Minutes

Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes

Board information and documents after Fall 2019 are available via BoardOnTrack

Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes before December 2019
2019
December 12, 2019
October 24, 2019
September 15, 2019
May 16, 2019
March 7, 2019
January 24, 2019
2018
December 13, 2018
October 18, 2018
September 9, 2018
June 21, 2018
May 30, 2018
March 3, 2018
2017
December 14, 2017
November 30, 2017
October 19, 2017
August 26, 2017
July 7, 2017
June 30, 2017
June 22, 2017
June 15, 2017
May 18, 2017
March 2, 2017
January 19, 2017
January 3, 2017
2016
December 12, 2016
November 17, 2016
October 20, 2016
September 22, 2016
August 27, 2016
Committee Meetings
December 13, 2019
December 3, 2019
May 22, 2019
March 25, 2019
March 4, 2019
January 17, 2019
November 15, 2018
September 26, 2018
September 12, 2018
November 27, 2017
November 20, 2017
October 3, 2017

Other Public Documents

Charter Authorization

Yu Ming Charter School is a “county-wide benefit” charter authorized by the Alameda County Board of Education (ACOE), who unanimously voted to approve our charter on November 9th, 2010 and renewed our charter in 2015.

Yu Ming Charter School is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization incorporated in the State of California, and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors as established in its bylaws. The bylaws are guided and defined based on our charter.

In accordance with the Brown Act, all school policies are available electronically and in hard copy upon request. Please contact the school office for more information at office@yumingschool.org or (510) 452-2063.

Our Title IX Policy

What is Title IX?

Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 (“Title IX”) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.

All complaints should be sent to our Title IX Coordinator, who can be reached at:

Celia Pascual
Chief Academic Officer
2501 Chestnut Street
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 452-2063
cpascual@yumingschool.org

Your Rights and Responsibilities Under Title IX

(a) You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex.

(b) You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities and athletics offered by Yu Ming Charter School.(“YMCS” or the “School”).

(c) You have the right to inquire of the athletic director or other appropriate YMCS administrator as to the athletic opportunities offered by the School.

(d) You have the right to apply for athletic scholarships.

(e) You have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following:

  • Equipment and supplies.
  • Scheduling of games and practices.
  • Transportation and daily allowances.
  • Access to tutoring.
  • Coaching.
  • Locker rooms.
  • Practice and competitive facilities.
  • Medical and training facilities and services.
  • Publicity.

(f)  You have the right to have access to a gender equity coordinator to answer questions regarding gender equity laws. The gender equity officer is the Title IX Coordinator. Please see above for this Coordinator’s contact information.

(g) You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on gender equity laws. 

(h) You have the right to file a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Office for Civil Rights or the State Department of Education if you believe you have been discriminated against or if you believe you have received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex. See below for more information regarding how to file a complaint.

(i) You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against.

(j) You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.

(k) You can find out more information regarding your rights, YMCS’s responsibilities, and access information on gender equity laws from the following resources:

(l) You can find a list of community-based organizations that provide support to youth, and their families, who have been subjected to school-based discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying at: https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/eo/

Definition of Discrimination and Harassment Based on Sex Under Ed. Code Section 230

Harassment and other discrimination on the basis of sex include, but are not limited to, the following practices:

(a) On the basis of sex, exclusion of a person or persons from participation in, denial of the benefits of, or subjection to harassment or other discrimination in, any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, or other program or activity.

(b) On the basis of sex, provision of different amounts or types of student financial aid, limitation of eligibility for student financial aid, or the application of different criteria to applicants for student financial aid or for participation in the provision of student financial aid by others. 

(c) On the basis of sex, exclusion from participation in, or denial of equivalent opportunity in, athletic programs. “Equivalent” means equal or equal in effect.

(d) On the basis of sex, harassment or other discrimination among persons, including, but not limited to, students and nonstudents, or academic and nonacademic personnel, in employment and the conditions thereof, except as it relates to a bona fide occupational qualification.

(e) On the basis of sex, the application of any rule concerning the actual or potential parental, family, or marital status of a person, or the exclusion of any person from any program or activity or employment because of pregnancy or related conditions.

How to File a Complaint Under Title IX

(a) You can find more information regarding how to file a complaint as follows:

(b) A complaint regarding discrimination or harassment based on sex must ordinarily be filed with the U.S. Office for Civil Rights within 180 days of the last act of discrimination. If your complaint involves matters that occurred longer than this and you are requesting a waiver, you will be asked to show good cause why you did not file your complaint within the 180-day period. If you have questions about your situation, you can contact the California branch of the Office for Civil Rights at the address listed below. A complaint filed with YMCS under our UCP alleging unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying must be initiated no later than six (6) months from the date when the alleged unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying occurred, or six (6) months from the date when the complainant first obtained knowledge of the facts of the alleged unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying.  

(c) The U.S. Office for Civil Rights has its own policies and procedures for investigating complaints. Please review the above link for more information about this process. A complaint filed with YMCS under our UCP or Title IX, Harassment, Intimidation, Discrimination, and Bullying Policy will be investigated in compliance with those policies. 

(d) There are a variety of ways to file your complaint. You can use the U.S. Office for Civil Rights electronic complaint form filed directly through their website; or mail, email, or send by facsimile your own letter or a completed copy of the Office for Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint Form. 

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20202

Telephone: 800-421-3481
FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: ocr@ed.gov

***

San Francisco Office
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
Mail Box 1200, Room 1545
San Francisco, CA 94102

Telephone: 415-486-5555
FAX: 415-486-5570; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.gov

To file a UCP or complaint under our Title IX, Harassment, Intimidation, Discrimination, and Bullying Policy directly with YMCS, please follow procedures set forth in those policies.